1/ My story today shows how oil + gas can exploit cap and trade (CA’s signature climate law).
I found a group of pastors who testified in a way that could have helped oil+gas industry at a cap-and-trade hearing. They didn’t know oil interests had *paid for their trip.* (THREAD)
I found a group of pastors who testified in a way that could have helped oil+gas industry at a cap-and-trade hearing. They didn’t know oil interests had *paid for their trip.* (THREAD)
2/ I had heard vaguely about these pastors from sources and other news articles, so I looked at lobbying records and visited two of the pastors, Oliver Buie and Jonathan Moseley Sr.
When I told them oil interests had backed their trip, they were shocked.
When I told them oil interests had backed their trip, they were shocked.
3/ At the hearing, they shared genuine concerns about how increased energy costs would hurt their communities.
Buie urged regulators to “look at the people more than the corporations.”
Buie urged regulators to “look at the people more than the corporations.”
4/ Both pastors had a history of activism against urban oil drilling in Los Angeles.
They’d led protests against air pollution. Buie drove me to a well near his church. The drilling rig is behind a fence, right next to a wellness center and a religious institution.
They’d led protests against air pollution. Buie drove me to a well near his church. The drilling rig is behind a fence, right next to a wellness center and a religious institution.
5/ But the funding for their trip to Sacramento came from @CAREaboutEnergy.
Buie and Moseley didn’t know CARE is backed by some of the largest businesses in the state, including oil. These companies also benefit from lower carbon prices.
Buie and Moseley didn’t know CARE is backed by some of the largest businesses in the state, including oil. These companies also benefit from lower carbon prices.
6/ In 2017, nearly 2/3 of the money that CARE raised came from Chevron and a major oil lobby group. CARE’s website features ads against electric cars and other regulations to reduce fossil fuel use.
7/ When I explained the situation to Buie and Moseley, they were shocked and disappointed.
“They didn’t tell us they were a wolf,” Buie said. “We thought they were a sheep.”
“They didn’t tell us they were a wolf,” Buie said. “We thought they were a sheep.”
8/ To be clear: The pastors’ concerns about affordability are real, since companies can simply pass on the costs of cap and trade to consumers. But when a state bill (by Sen. Bob Wieckowski) tried creating rebates to help with the costs, oil and gas opposed it.
9/ That bill was undermined by *the same industry supporting their trip to the hearing.*
10/ The confusion is understandable: here’s the CARE website, careaboutenergy.org.
Looks like some kind of generic advocacy group. The “about” page doesn’t mention the business lobbying group that leads CARE, the California Business Roundtable.
Looks like some kind of generic advocacy group. The “about” page doesn’t mention the business lobbying group that leads CARE, the California Business Roundtable.
11/ That’s one reason several scientists and activists felt the pastors were co-opted by oil and gas to advocate for their interests.
12/ CARE told me that’s not what happened.
Oil and gas has been involved with the design of California’s cap and trade in lots of ways.
Read the story here propublica.org/article/cap-an…
Oil and gas has been involved with the design of California’s cap and trade in lots of ways.
Read the story here propublica.org/article/cap-an…
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